October 21, 2004: Headlines: COS - Ghana: Politics: Election2004 - Johnson: Conservation: Ames Tribune: The Tribune's editorial board is impressed by Paul Johnson's character and vision. A former director of the Department of Natural Resources, chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, formerly the Soil Conservation Service, and an Iowa legislator, Johnson is known for his conservation ethic.

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October 21, 2004: Headlines: COS - Ghana: Politics: Election2004 - Johnson: Conservation: Ames Tribune: The Tribune's editorial board is impressed by Paul Johnson's character and vision. A former director of the Department of Natural Resources, chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, formerly the Soil Conservation Service, and an Iowa legislator, Johnson is known for his conservation ethic.

The Tribune's editorial board is impressed by Paul Johnson's character and vision. A former director of the Department of Natural Resources, chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, formerly the Soil Conservation Service, and an Iowa legislator, Johnson is known for his conservation ethic.

Iowa's 4th Congressional District stretches across 28 counties through the center of the state and reaches east to the Mississippi River. It covers some of the richest farmland in the nation and harbors what candidate Paul Johnson calls "the best land-grant institution in the world." It is the heart of the heartland.

Its diversity is reflected in the candidates who vie to represent it. Somewhere around 39 percent of voters in the district are steady Democrats. The same amount are Republicans. About 22 percent in the middle go back and forth.

This year, they will choose between Johnson, a Democrat and a long-time conservation leader and legislator, and Tom Latham, Republican incumbent.

The Tribune's editorial board is impressed by Johnson's character and vision. A former director of the Department of Natural Resources, chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, formerly the Soil Conservation Service, and an Iowa legislator, Johnson is known for his conservation ethic.

But he's far from one-dimensional. Indeed, his conversation with The Tribune ranged from international relations to a novel idea for national service. His experience in state and federal government give him the experience to be an effective congressman.

He says he was propelled into the race by his frustration over a cadre of issues including foreign policy, education, the environment and renewable energy.

In international relations, he says he's saddened that the U.S. is "using our incredible strength in such an arrogant fashion ... We Iowans don't act like this in our own personal lives. Why should we tolerate it in our national leadership?

In education, Johnson calls for a program that provides more funds for buildings, computers, special needs and teacher training, but less federal control.

On the environment, Johnson would push to make conservation on private lands something landowners see as positive through restructured incentives. "You can stop some people from doing really bad things, but you can't get them to love God's creation without rewards."

He also calls for a "man on the moon" national effort to promote alternate energy sources such as wind. And there's no better place for such an effort to come from than this district.

Johnson also favors a privately-delivered, universal national health care system, a living wage, a progressive tax system and publicly funded elections. His national service idea would roll together service for young people in the military, Peace Corps or AmeriCorps with rewards including college tuition grants and low interest home and business loans.

Latham was elected to Congress in 1994. He serves on the House Committee on Appropriations, a post that has put him in good stead to serve his district.

Federal funding for Cy-Ride is one such example. But topping the list of successes, he counts full funding for renovation work at the National Centers for Animal Health here in Ames. That project, beyond its $460 million construction, will bring to the nation increased food safety and homeland security, and to Mid-Iowa an engine of economic development and research for years to come.

In his next term, if elected, he hopes to find ways to support technology transfer from Iowa State University to businesses such as Etrema and Thin Film Technologies.

He's also supportive of the Des Moines Area Community College efforts to work with local high schools in establishing a consortium to train potential employees for the bio-tech companies now fledging in the Research Park and around Mid-Iowa.

He says he would seek more funding for biomass energy and a continued tax credit for ethanol. And he noted that President Bush, in Des Moines several weeks ago, signed bills that included a tax credit for wind energy production.

Internationally, Latham has been a supporter of Bush. He believes that much of the rancor in the country over the war is currently driven by election politics. And he's hopeful that elections in Iraq and an increasingly stable government will eventually lead to peace.

On the deficit, he blames the dot-com market crash of 2001 and the 9-11 attacks for falling government receipts. He supports the tax cut as necessary for economic recovery. Expenditures are being held down, he argues, except for homeland security and the military. Long-term economic growth is the only way to relieve the deficit.

On farm policy, Latham says he agrees with Johnson in that more incentives must be attached to conservation practices and less emphasis placed on price supports. Johnson is critical of Latham's work on the Conservation Security Program which passed through his committee, arguing that Latham "gutted" the funding program that could have sent relief and a positive message back to his own district.

Latham responds that Conservation Security still received an increase in funding and that Congress must be good fiscal stewards.

This campaign has been marred somewhat by charges from the Latham campaign that Johnson is conducting a "slash and burn" negative campaign. It is The Tribune's judgment that nothing could be further from the truth. Johnson's demeanor has been nothing if not statesmanlike. And this week, Latham acknowledged that "as far as I'm concerned, it's a dead issue. I have the highest regard for Paul." His campaign material responded to a statement from Johnson that Latham had failed to author any legislation, a statement he later withdrew.

The Tribune's editorial board was conflicted on these candidates. Two years ago, The Tribune endorsed Latham for his potential to deliver for the district. Indeed, he has done so. Yet we were very impressed with Johnson for his vision and character. He is a man who can grab hold of big issues and carry them forward. The Tribune's endorsement in this election goes to Paul Johnson.

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Story Source: Ames Tribune

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Ghana; Politics; Election2004 - Johnson; Conservation

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